Apparatus for mixing gases.



e. DALEN.

APPARATUS FOR MIXING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.28, 1920.

1,153,766. Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

W/f/VFJSEJ M QWZW W44 I COLUMBIA PLANQORAPH c0, WASHINGTON, Dv c.

DALEN.

APPARATUS FOR MIXING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED 1156.23, I910.

Patented Sept 14, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

//v VE/I/ 7' o 2? CDLUMBIA PIANDURAPH cm. WASHINGTON, D. c.

GUSTAF DALEN, or

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOR T0 SVENSKA AKTIEBOLAGE'I GASACCUMULATOR, OFSTOCKHOLM, SWEDEN.

APPARATUS FOR MIXING GASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

Application filed December 28, 1910. a Serial No. 599,652.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that LGUsTAF DALiiN, subject ofSweden, residing at Stockholm, Sweden, have invented new and usefulimprovements in Apparatus for Mixing Gases,

of which the following is a specification.

When a gas mixture is employed for gas lighting purposes it isimportant, that the gases, of which the mixture is composed, are presentin certain determined proportions, in order to obtain a completecombustion and a high lighting effect. To this object the gases to bemixed, say acetylene and air, must be exactly proportioned by means of aspecial device before being mixed with one another.

In most cases one of the gases to be mixed is under pressure, it may beowing to the development or owing to the storing of the same.

The present invention has for its object an apparatus, in which thepressure of one of the gases to be mixed is utilized for automaticallyproportioning and mixing the gases. For this purpose according to thisinvention two or .more chambers are provided, closed by simultaneouslymovable members, which under the influence of the pressure of one of thegases to be mixed allow exactly proportioned quantities of the gases tobe admitted to the said chambers. By means of automatically workingcutting off devices the admission of gas under pressure is cut oil andthe gas pressure chamber is connected with a chamber or conduit, inwhich the gases are mixed. The quantities of gases admitted to the saidchambers are thereby introduced in determined proportions and intimatelymixed with one another in said conduit or chamber under the control ofthe pressure members.

For the purpose. of exactly proportioning the quantities of the gasesintroduced in the said chambers and controlled by the cutting offdevices, said devices are suddenly moved from their end positions andthe movable members, actuating said devices, are running idle during apart-0f their strokes.

As the connection between the above mentioned conduit or chamber, inwhich the gases are mixed, and the gas chambers is interrupted duringthe filling stroke of the movable members, closing the said gaschambers, the pressure in the consumption eonduit will be diminishedduring said filling prov1ded, rocking on plate toward stroke. To avoidthis diminishing of pressure, the conduit is connected with a storingchamber, closed by a movable pressure member, to which storing chambereach of the gases or the ready gas mixture is delivered during thedelivery stroke of the members of the gas chambers. From this storingchamber the gases or gas mixture is introduced into the consumptionconduit during the filling stroke of said members. The quantity of gasmixture delivered to said storing chamber is controlled so as tocorrespond to the consumption by means of a controlling device actuatedby the pressure member closing the storing chamber. In this manner thequantity of gas mixture escaping from the conduit or chamber in whichthe gases are mixed, and feeding the consumption conduit and the storingchamber during the de livery stroke of the gas chamber members, will becontrolled according to the consumption, whereas in the storing chambera quantity of gas mixture always will be stored, covering a suddenlyaugmented consumption.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus withoutstoring chamber, Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line A.B in Fig. 1,Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the apparatus with storing chamber, andFig. l is a horizontal section on line C-D in Fig. 3.

With reference to the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which is assumedto be employed for mixing acetylene and air for lighting purposes, 1indicates a chamber or easing, which is closed by a movable member suchas the diaphragm 2.

3 indieatesan inlet pipe, conducting acetylene under pressure to thechamber or casing 1 and terminating in-a valve seat 5, carried by a stud4. Opposite to said valve seat 5 another valve seat 6 is provided,connected with an outlet pipe 7. Between the two valve seats 5 and 6 avalve plate 8 is points 9 and actuated by a spring 10, tending to holdthe valve the valve seat 5.

For the purpose of suddenly opening and closing the valve seats 5 and 6,the valve plate 8 constitutes a permanent magnet, whereas the valveseats are made of soft iron, whereby the magnetism is made somewhatstronger than the, pressure of the spring 10. On the valve plate 8 twoshoul- 16, and "the acetylene gas flows under pres-' able member such asthe and 17 will be forced back to ders 11, 12 are provided, the distancebetween which determines the quantity of acetylene, which will beintroduced in the casing 1. Between said shoulders a lever 14 isfulcrumed in a bearing 13 on the stud 4, and connected at its free endto a bar 15, which is connected to the diaphragm 2. In the presentinstance a lug projects upwardly from the top of the valve plate 8 andhas formed therein a vertically elongated slot through which the lever14 passes, the upper and lower Walls of said slot form shoulders 11 and1.2 with which the lever engages to raise and lower the valve plate.

The chamber or casing 16, which is intended to receive the air, isclosed by a movdiaphragm 17 An air inlet 18, provided with a suctionvalve 19, opens in said chamber or casing 16, from which leads adelivery pipe 20, pro

vided with a pressure valve 21.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the-casing 1 is placed withinthe casing 16, and the two diaphragms 2 and 17 are connected by means ofa bar 22 so as to move simultaneously. The diaphragm 17is actuated by aspring 28, the strength of which is less than the pressure of gas,introduced through the inlet pipe 3. The delivery pipe 7 opens in thecasing 16, which thus serves as mixing chamber.

The apparatus works in the following manner: In the position of thepartsshown on the drawing, the valve plate 8 closes the communicationbetween the casings 1 and sure into the casing 1 through the inlet pipe3 :and the valve seat 5. Under the influence of the pressure of theacetylene gas the diaphragm 2 and also the diaphragm17, connectedtherewith, rise, overcoming the strength of the spring 23, until thelever 14 engages the shoulder 11 and pulls the valve plate 8 from itsseat 6, against which the valve plate has been held by means ofmagnetism during said filling strokeof the diaphragms 2 and 17.Thecasing 1 will thus be put in communication and the valve plate 8 willbe thrown toward the seat 5 under the action of the spring 10, so thatthe introduction ofacetylene is interrupted. During said stroke of thediaphragm 17 a vacuum is created in the chamber or casing 16, so thatthe suction valve 19 is opened and air flows into said chamber 16.

en the casing 1 is put in communication with the casing16 as abovementioned the pressure in the casing 1 is diminished. As soon as saidpressure is overcome by the strength of the spring 23, the diaphragms 2their original position by said spring. During this stroke 'of thediaphragms the gas in the casing 1 will flow into the casing 16, inwhich it is mixed "with the air, contained therein, and

pressure will be diminishedin said with the casing 16,

pressed toward its seat by part of said mixture of gas and air willsimultaneously be delivered from the casing 16 through the valve 21 andinto the conduit 20. At the end of the delivery strokeof the diaphragms2 and 17 the lever 14 will engage the shoulder 12, whereby the valveplate 8 will be pulled from the seat 5 to the idle movement of the lever14. 'Said quantity of acetylene gas may thus be controlled by varyingsaid idle movement. The amount of air entering the casing 16 depends onthe length of the filling stroke of the diaphragm and also its area. Byvarying said area the quantity of air to be mixed with the acetylene gascan be varied' By placing the casing 1 within the casing 16 andintroducing the gas from the casing l to the casing 16 an intimatemixture of gas'an'd air and a narrow construction is obtained. Howeverthe invention is not limited to the illustrated arrangement of saidchambers or casings. During the'filling stroke of the diaphragms 2 and17 the delivery pipe 20 is put out of communication with the casings 1and 16, whereby the pipe at a constant consumption of the. gas mixture.Such variations of pressure are obviated when using the apparatus shownin Figs. 3 and 4, by means of which the delivery of gas mixture from thedelivery pipe is controlled so as to correspond to the consumption ofgas mixture. 7

The device for mixing gas and air is the same as that described withreference to Figs. 1 and 2, and the same parts are indicated by the samereferences, so that further description of the same is not necessary.

The lower part of the casing 16 communicates with a storing chamber25,which is closed by a movable memberfsuch as the diaphragm 26, which isactuated by the spring 27. The'check valve '28 which is a spring 29,opens downwardyso that the gas mixture flows from the casing 16 at eachpulsation of the diaphragm 17 into the storing chamber 25, whichcommunicates with the consumption conduit 30;

During the delivery stroke of the diaphragms 2 and 17 the gas mixtureflows through the opening 20 and past the valve '28 into the storingchamber 25 and from this with gas mixture, the diaphragm 26 movingoutward. When the check valve 28 is closed during the filling stroke ofthe diaphragms 2 and 17 the storing chamber 25 will alone feed theconsumption conduit 30 with gas mixture, whereby the diaphragm 26 willmove inward under the action of the spring 27 in correspondence to thegas consumption. The dimensions of the storing chamber 25 areproportioned in such a manner, that it will receive at least thequantity of gas mixture, corresponding to that flowing into theconsumption conduit during the delivery stroke of the diaphragms2 and 17and for this reason the pressure in said conduit will not be diminished.The storing chamber also serves as a pressure regulating device duringthe delivery stroke of the diaphragms 2 and 17, acting as a buffer forthe pressure shocks, generated during said delivery stroke, whereby thepressure in the consumption conduit will be constant.

In order to control the quantity of gas mixture delivered from themixing chamber 16, so as to correspond to the gas consumption,thepressure valve 28 is controlled by the diaphragm 26. For this purpose alever 32, 34: is iulcrumed on a pivot 31 in the chamber 25, one arm 32of said lever being pressed by a spring 33 toward the diaphragm 26, theother arm 3a being placed in front of the pressure valve 28, limitingits stroke.

At normal consumption the arm 34 is situated at such a distance from thevalve 28 at the beginning of the delivery stroke of the diaphragms 2 and17, that the valve 28 can move its full stroke. It now. the gasconsumption diminishes, the pressure in the storing chamber will risebefore the diaphragm 26 has occupied its end position. The arm 3a isthus in the path of the stroke of the pressure valve 28.- At thebeginning of the delivery stroke of the diaphragms 2 and 17 the pressurevalve 28 thus can only open. to an extent, determined by the posi tionof the diaphragm 26, which position is depending on the consumption forthe moment. T he storing chamber 25 will be filled during the deliverystroke, after which the pressure valve 28 is closed, and delivers thegas mixture alone to the consumption conduit 30 during the fillingstroke of the dia phragms 2 and 17.

If the consumption or gas mixture suddenly be augmented the storingchamber 25 will always contain a sufiicient amount of gas mixture tokeep the pressure in the consumption conduit constant.

In the construction illustrated the mixing casing or chamber 16 isdirectly connected with the storing chamber 25 through the pressurevalve 28, whereby said valve simultaneously serves as a pressureregulating valve. Hereby the construction is made very narrow, and aspecial pressure regulating valve for the storing chamber will beunnecessary, such regulating valve being necessary in cases when thestoring chamber is ar ranged separate from the mixing apparatus.

The apparatus can be arranged so as to provide for an increased quantityof gas mixture without increasing the dimensions of the apparatus, bycausing the diaphragm 17 to suck in air during both strokes. For thispurpose the chamber 38 above the diaphragm is made to communicate withthe open air and with the air inlet 18 through the channel 39, saidchannel terminating in a suction valve 35, opening into the chamber 38.The chamber 38 is also in communica tion with the storing chamber 25 bymeans of a conduit 37, in which communication a pressure valve 36 isprovided. During the downward stroke of the diaphragm 17, air is suckedinto the chamber 38, which air during the following upward stroke of thediaphragm is pressed into the storing chamber 25, in which it will bemixed with the gas mixture, introduced therein during the firstmentioned stroke of the diaphragm 17. For maintaining the properproportions between the acetylene and the air the diaphragm 2 is maderelatively large, so that a relatively large quantity of gas isintroduced in the casing 1 during the filling stroke of the diaphragm 2.Such augmenting of the diaphragm 2 does not affect the dimensions of thechamber 16 nor the dimensions of the apparatus as'a whole. The chamber25 will in this case act both as a storing chamber and as a mixingchamber.

What I claim is:

1. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a flexible wall andprovided with an air inlet and an outlet for the mixed air and gas, agas inlet for admitting gas un der pressure to said chamber, and meanscontrolled by the pressure 01 the gas to be mixed for periodicallyactuating said flexible wall of the mixing chamber to produce a partialvacuum in said mixing chamber on one stroke of the diaphragm to draw airinto said chamber, and to discharge mixed air and gas therefrom on theother stroke of the diaphragm.

2. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a flexible wallprovided with valve controlled inlet and outlet ports, a gas chamberhaving a flexible wall, a connection between said flexible walls, aninlet for delivering gas under pressure to said gas chamber, a conduitconnecting the two chambers, and means controlled by the pressure of thegas in the gas chamber to intermittently actuate the said flexible wallswhereby to control the entrance of air into the mixing chamber.

3. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a flexible wall andprovided with valve controlled inlet and outlet ports, a gas chamberhaving a flexible wall, a connection between the flexible walls of saidchambers, a valve controlled inlet for delivering gas under pressure tosaid gas chamber, a valve controlled gas outlet conduit connecting thetwo chambers, and means actuated by the pressure of the gas in the gaschamber for actuating the said flexible walls to produce a partialvacuum in said mixing chamber and thereby drawrair into the mixingchamber on one stroke of the flexible walls and alternately open andclose the gas inlet and gas outlet conduit.

4. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a movable wall andprovided with valve controlled inlet and outlet ports, a gas chamberhaving a movable wall, an operative connection between the movable wallsof said chambers, a gas inlet delivering gas under pressure to thegas'chamber, and a gas outlet leading therefrom to the mixing chamber,and valve means located within said gas chamber for controlling the lastnamed inlet and outlet, said valve means being controlled in itsoperation by the pressure of the gas in the gas chamber.

5. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a flexible wall andprovided with inlet and outlet ports, a gas chamber having a flexiblewall, an operative connection between the flexible walls of said cham--bers, a gas inlet for delivering gasv under pressure to the gas chamberand a gas outlet leading therefrom to the? mixing chamber, valve meansfor said gas inlet and said gas outlet, and means for actuating saidvalve means toalternately open said gas inlet and said gas outlet, saidlast means being arranged to be controlled in its operation by the gaspressure in the gas chamber.

6. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a flexible wallconstituting a pulsator and provided with valve controlled inlet andoutlet ports, a gas chamber having a flexible wall, an operativeconnection between the flexible walls of said chambers, a gas inletdelivering gas under pressure to the gas chamber, and an outlet leadingtherefrom to the mixing chamber, means controlled by the pressure of gasin the gas chamber for intermittently pulsating the flexible wall of themixing chamber, whereby to periodically draw air into the same throughits valve-controlled inlet port and discharge mixed air and gastherefrom through its valve-controlled outlet port, and a vibratingvalve actuated'by the same means for alternately opening and closingsaid gas inlet and gas outlet conduit.

7. In a gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a flexible wall'constitutinga pulsator and provided with valve controlled inlet and outlet ports, asecond chamber having a valve controlled inlet and a valvecontrollcdoutlet leading into the mixing chamber, and

automatic means controlled by the pressure of one of the fluids to'be'mixed, for intermittently reciprocating said flexible wall, wherebyto periodically produce apartial vacuum in said chamber, and therebydrawthe other fluid to be mixed into the mixing chamber through theinlet port on one stroke of said flexible wall and discharge the fluidmixturetherefrom through the outlet port v 1 on the other stroke.

8. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a flexible wallconstituting a pulsator, and said chamber. having valvecontrolledinletandoutlet ports, a'gas chamber located within and wholly inclosedby the mixing chamber, said gas chamber having a flexible wall, anoperative connection between the said flexible walls, a gas inletleading to the gas chamber and an outlet leading therefrom to the mixingchamber,

and an intermittently actuated valve within ber and discharge mixed airand gas there from.

9. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing with an airinle't and an outlet"for themixed air and'gas, a valve controlled gas inlet for periodicallyadmitting gas under pressure to said chamber-whereby said flexible wallis chamber having a flexible wall and provided alternately expanded andcollapsed to pro duce a partial vacuum'in the mixing chamber and therebydraw air into the chamber on one stroke of said flexible wall and forcemixed air and gas therefrom on the other stroke of said'flexible wall.

10. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a movablewallconstituting a pulsator and provided with valve con-r trolled inletand outlet ports, a gas chamber having a movable wall, an operativeconnection between the movable walls of said chambers, a gas inletdelivering gasunder pressure to said gas chamber, a gas outlet leadingtherefrom to the mixing chamber, and a vibrating valve in said gaschamber operatively connected to the movable wall thereof foralternately opening and closing the gas inlet and outletand periodicallyadmitting gas into and exhausting it from said gas chamberto actuatesaid movable walls. v 7

11. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a movable wallconstituting a pulsator and provided with valve controlled inlet andoutlet ports, a gas chamber having a movable wall, a rigid connectionbetween the'movable walls of said chambers, a gas inlet delivering gasunder pressure to said gas chamber, a gas outlet leading therefrom tothe mixing chamber, a

valve seat on both the gas inlet and outlet,

and a vibrating valve in said gas chamber operatively connected to themovable wall thereof to alternately contact with said valve seats andopen and close the gas inlet and outlet and periodically admit gas intoand exhaust it from said gas chamber to actuate said movable wallsv t12. In an air and gas mixer, a. mixing chamber having a movable wallconstituting a pulsator and provided with valve controlled inlet andoutlet ports, a gas chamber having a movable wall, a rigid connectionbetween the movable walls of said chambers, a gas inlet delivering airunder pressure to said gas chamber, a gas outlet leading therefrom tothe mixing chamber, a vibrating valve within said gas chamber foralternately opening and closing said gas inlet and outlet andperiodically admitting gas into and exhausting it from said gas chamberto actuate said movable walls, and a connection having a limited freemovement between said valve and the movable wall of the gas chamber.

13. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a movable wallconstituting a pulsator and provided with valve controlled inlet andoutlet ports, a gas chamber having a movable wall, a rigid connectionbetween the movable walls of said chambers, a gas inlet delivering airunder pressure to said gas chamber, a gas outlet leading therefrom tothe mixing chamber, a valve seat on both gas inlet and outlet, and avibrating valve in said gas chamber operatively connected to the movablewall thereof for alternately opening and closing the gas inlet andoutlet, said valve being magnetically attracted by one or the other ofsaid valve seats and held in contact by said attraction to close theport therein and hold it closed until forced therefrom.

14. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a movable wallconstituting a pulsator and provided with valve controlled inlet andoutlet ports, a gas chamber having a movable wall, a rigid connectionbetween the movable walls of said chambers, a gas inlet delivering gasunder pressure to said gas chamber, a gas outlet leading therefrom tothe mixing chamber, a valve seat of soft iron on both gas inlet andoutlet, and a vibrating valve formed of a permanent magnet adapted toalternately close and open the gas inlet and outlet and be held againstone or the other by the magnetic attraction until positively forced outof contact therewith.

15. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber, having a movable wallconstituting a pulsator and provided with valve controlled inlet andoutlet ports, a gas chamber having a movable wall Within said mixingchamber, a rigid connection between the movable walls of said chambers,a gas inlet delivering gas under pressure to said gas chamber, a gasoutlet leading therefrom to the mixin chamber, said inlet and outlethaving opposing valve seats within the gas chamber, a'vibrating valvemovable between said valve seats and adapted to alternately close one orthe other, a connection between said vibrating valve and the movablewall of the gas chamber for actuating said valve as said walls collapseand expand, said connection having a limited amount of free play topermit the said -movable wall moving without moving the valve, and saidvalve being held in contact with its valve seats by magnetic attractiontherebetween.

16. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a movable wallconstituting a pulsator and provided with valve controlled inlet andoutlet ports, a gas chamber having a movable wall, a gas inletdelivering gas under pressure to said gas chamber, a gas outlet leadingtherefrom to the mixing chamber, and a vibrating valve actuated throughthe pulsation of the movable wall of said gas chamber to close the gasoutlet while said chamber is filling through the gas inlet and closesaid gas inlet while the chamber is exhausting through the gas outlet.

17. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a movable wallconstituting a pulsator and provided with valve controlled inlet andoutlet ports, a gas chamber having a movable wall, a gas inletdelivering gas under pressure to said gas chamber, a gas outlet leadingtherefrom to the mixing chamber, a vibrating valve actuated through thepulsation of the movable wall of said gas chamber to close the gasoutlet while said chamber is filling through the gas inlet and closesaid gas inlet while the chamber is exhausting through the gas outlet,and a lost motion connection between said movable wall and the valve topermit a limited movement of said wall without actuating the valve.

18. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber having a flexible wallconstituting a pulsator and provided with valve controlled inlet andoutlet ports, a gas chamber having a flexible wall, a gas inletdelivering gas under pressure to said gas chamber, a gas outlet leadingtherefrom to the mixing chamber, and a vibrating valve controlled by theflexible wall of said gas chamber for holding the gas'outlet closedduring expansion of said walland filling of the gas chamber through thegas inlet and for holding said gas inlet closed during the collapsing ofsaid wall of said gas chamber to exhaust the gas chamber, the collapsingof said flexible wall expelling the gas from the gas chamber withoutincreasing its compression.

19. In an air and gas mixer, a mixing chamber; a gas chamber having amovable In testimony whereof I have signed my Wall, a gas inletdehverlng gas under presname to thls speclficatlo'n 1n the presence oisure to salcl gas chamber, a gas outlet leadtwo subscrlb ng Witnesses.

ing therefrom to the mixing chamber, and a GUSTAF DALEN. magnetic valvedevice adapted to alternately Witnesses: H V close the gas inlet and thegas outlet and be WALDEMAR BOMAN,'

held in either position magnetically. T; EKSBOHM.

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